Chris Evans was top of the list of 96 BBC stars earning more than £150,000

After hosting the show however, in which he defended his pay, he refused to answer questions.

Evans topped the list on more than £2million while the highest paid woman was Strictly’s Claudia Winkleman, who is paid up to £499,999.

Under-fire Evans said that he understood the backlash to the list, which also revealed how Newsnight star Emily Maitlis was paid less than £150,000 for her work while male co-stars were paid considerably more.

Speaking on his Radio Two show this morning, he said: “Here’s a question – what do you say when confronted with the question: are you embarrassed about what you earn?

“Are you ashamed of what you earn?

“How do you react to that question when all you’re doing is coming to work every day like you have been for years to fulfil an agreed contract?

On Trial

ICE BREAKER

“She said: ‘Tell them that your mum, who’s a nurse for most of her life, always told you after your dad died to try to find a job you loved, just like I love nursing, and earn what you can, when you can, while you can – which you did almost straight away from when you were a paper boy earning £1.50 a week for freezing your bits off and falling off your bike every two minutes, right through until what you’re doing now.